Fiber optic communication systems have become increasing more popular in recent years as fiber optic technology offers several advantages over the conventional copper wire-based technology. For example, fiber optic communication systems provide substantially increased bandwidth, allowing large volumes of data to be transferred quickly over long distances. Additionally, optical communication systems neither generate nor are susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI). Fiber optic systems not only are gaining acceptance as the backbone of many network systems, but are also displacing copper wire technology as the preferred medium for connecting various workstations to the network system. These applications are often referred to as fiber-to-the-desk (FTTD) applications.
The growth of FTTD applications has increased the demands on optical connectors which serve to connect fibers to one another. In particular, connectors are needed that are small enough to be used in an office environment and field installable. A group of connectors were developed to meet this need and are known as Small Form Factor (SFF) connectors. SFF connectors are designed to be the fiber optic equivalent of the small connectors used in copper wire technology, such as, for example, RJ-45 connectors. These small, efficient, easy-to-use SFF connectors have become a new industry standard and are expected to contribute to the continued growth of FTTD applications. SFF connectors of particular interest herein are those based on the MPO ferrule, such as the MPO and Lightray MPX® connectors (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,790), and those based on the Mini-MPO ferrule such as the MT-RJ connector (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,268).
Recently, a need has developed to limit user access to particular fiber optic data networks for security or other purposes. While some restrictions may be achieved using software (e.g., passwords), further restriction using some type of physical barrier to the networks is desired. Therefore, there is a need to prevent unauthorized users from connecting to data networks using physical barriers. The present invention fulfills this need among others.